Monday, December 24, 2012

Friday, December 21, 2012

KFLAG COUNTRY MUISC UPDATE

Kellie Pickler
just completed her sixth USO tour overseas to perform for the U.S.
troops as part of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey's USO holiday tour.
Other celebrities that joined her on the seven-day, four-country tour throughout the Middle East included: Ross Detwiler and Craig Stammen of the Washington Nationals, Matt Hendricks of the Washington Capitals and comedian Iliza Shlesinger.

Pickler
said at her performance at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan on Dec. 16,
"It's always different coming here this time of year. [During] the
holidays, everyone wants to be home with their families and loved ones.
And I know it's just as hard for [your] families back home, so they're
making a sacrifice as well. I just want to say thanks so much for all
that you do, and thank you to your families as they make a huge
sacrifice. This time of year is really hard so I hope that you know that
we love you. The USO, all of us, we are praying for a safe return home
for you all. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."

LeAnn Rimes says that she was not drunk when she performed on The X Factor on Wednesday (December 19) night. According to TMZ,
LeAnn says that she was not impaired and the performance may have
seemed awkward because she was trying to help the 13-year-old Carly Rose Sonenclar perform "How Do I Live" -- which she was having some difficulty with.

LeAnn's
lawyer said, "LeAnn was not performing the way she would normally
perform, because she was on stage with a young girl. There have been a
lot of untrue things said by others and it feeds into this sort of
thing."

Blake Shelton tied the knot with his longtime love, Miranda Lambert in 2011 after dating her for five years. So it's no surprise that when he saw his manager, Brandon Blackstock, so in love with his friend, Kelly Clarkson -- Blake made sure that Brandon made it official.
Blake
said, "I told Brandon, 'Man, you need to grow up and you figure out
that you need to marry this girl,' I am going on the record saying, I
will do the music at the wedding or whatever you want to do, I'll be
that guy. I will play for four hours if I have to, cause you need to get
you[r] head out of your a** and ask that girl to marry you."

Blake offered to sing at Kelly and Brandon's wedding.

Blackstock is the son of Clarkson's manager, Narvel Blackstock, who is married to Reba McEntire.

Eric Church's
favorite holiday tradition, is one his grandmother started many years
ago. Eric told us that he intends on carrying over the tradition with
his immediate family, which includes wife, Katherine, and their young
son, Boone.

He said, "My grandmother, when she was alive,
would always come over, and every year she would bring this Christmas
story, and some of them were gut-wrenching. I'm not going to lie to you.
They were just heart tugging stories about people who had had . . .
about a Christmas miracle, who had something happen to them; something
magical for Christmas that had turned life around, whether it was a
homeless person, or just anything. And she would always look all year
long and find this story, and then we would have breakfast and she would
read it, and it was just our family and we've carried that on. My mom
does that now and she's kind of taken it and she finds the story, and
that's something I'm going to do with my family. And Katherine and I
have talked about it. It'll be her turn to find that and we have a big
Christmas breakfast and we sit around and we share that. It's just a
neat thing, family-wise, to have that and to always wonder what that
story is going to be and what it's going to be about, and sometimes
they're brutal. I mean it can be hard, you know. You get up on Christmas
morning and you're in a good mood and they're just gut-wrenching, you
know, but it's fun to put things in perspective, and it makes you think
about people that aren't as fortunate."

Luke Bryan was the biggest winner at the 3rd Annual American Country Awards, taking home 9 awards -- including: Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for Tailgates and Tanlines.
So what's a big time winner like him doing for Christmas? Luke told us
that he and his family, wife Caroline and sons Bo and Tate - will spend
Christmas at home this year.
He said, "Christmas is going to
be good. My wife and I, we finally said we're not loading the boys up
on a tour bus and driving 'em down to Georgia and all that. We're
spending Christmas in Nashville and Santa's coming to the house. We've
got two boys that they understand Santa, and they're ready for them to
get there. Now, we just gotta get ol' Santa down the chimney."

COUNTRY TRIVIA

Q. "Hard Candy Christmas" is from which Dolly Parton film?A. The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas

INDUSTRY NEWS

MARK WAHLBERG CONFIRMS 'TED 2': Mark Wahlberg told Collider.com that Seth MacFarlane is working on a sequel to their hit film Ted. Wahlberg says Seth's ideas for Ted 2 are "sick."ZAC EFRON JOINS JFK CONSPIRACY MOVIE: Zac Efron has joined the all-star cast of Parkland -- a film exploring the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Marcia Gay Harden, Paul Giamatti, Billy Bob Thornton, and Jacki Weaver are also attached.ROSE MCGOWAN TO GUEST STAR ON 'ONCE UPON A TIME':Rose McGowan has been cast to play the young version of Barbara Hershey's character Cora on Once Upon A Time. She will appear in a flashback during an episode showing the origin story of the character.'DARK KNIGHT' TRAILER WAS YOUTUBE'S MOST WATCHED OF 2012:The Dark Knight Rises was YouTube's most watched movie trailer of the year. Skyfall, Ted, and Hunger Games also made the top 10.BEN AFFLECK DROPS OUT OF 'FOCUS':Ben Affleck has dropped out of playing the veteran con artist role in the film Focus. He had been scheduled to co-star with Kristen Stewart.

CELEBRITY GOSSIP

DANIELLE FISHEL IS A COLLEGE GRADUATE AND ENGAGED:Boy Meets World star Danielle Fishel earned her college degree after returning to school at 27-years-old. She posted the news on her Tumblr page and also revealed that she is engaged to a guy that she met as a math tutor in school.KIM KARDASHIAN'S BANGS ARE FAKE:Kim Kardashian
announced on her blog that the bangs that she was recently photographed
with are actually fake. She was just wearing clip-ons for a Cosmo cover shoot.CHRIS PRATT REVEALS WEIGHT FLUCTUATION ON 'CONAN':Parks and Recreation actor Chris Pratt told Conan that he spent five to six months getting ripped to play a member of Seal Team Six in Zero Dark Thirty. Immediately after filming he had to pack on 60 pounds for a new role.CRYSTAL HARRIS CELEBRATES UPCOMING NUPTIALS AT BRIDAL SHOWER:Hugh Hefner's wife-to-be Crystal Harris
celebrated her bridal shower at Femme Fatale on Wednesday (December
20th) in Studio City, California. The party was hosted by her friend Ashley Matthau and Hefner's sister-in-law Caya Hefner.BLAKE LIVELY SHARES WEDDING PHOTOS:Blake Lively has been very private about the details of her wedding to Ryan Reynolds back in September but the actress has shared some of the photos with Martha Stewart Weddings. Take a look: http://bit.ly/VT9nvM

KRISTA STODDEN COMPARES COURTNEY TO ANNA

Courtney Stodden's mother Krista believes that her daughter is a victim of discrimination. Mama Stodden explained to The Huffington Post that regardless of her haters, Courtney will remain in the spotlight in 2013. The proud mom even compares her teenager to Pam Anderson and a sober version of Anna Nicole Smith.
Krista
told the website, "It won't be 15 minutes of fame because it's an
evergreen story. Courtney is so intriguing; she's almost an addiction
for people. Her light shines. When she walks into an event, it's
incredible, as her mom and manager, to watch the reaction from people.
There are so many horrible things we read, but when people meet her in
person is so rewarding." Both mother and daughter blame all of the
negative criticism against Courtney on women who are jealous of how sexy
and beautiful the 18-year-old is.

Courtney will reportedly spend 2013 focused on her music career and more reality TV opportunities.

REBEL WILSON IS HOLLYWOOD HOT COMMODITY

28-year-old Rebel Wilson's
career has exploded over the past year and shows no signs of slowing
down. The Australian actress was recently spotted leaving a meeting in
Venice, California with an arm full of scripts.
In addition to
developing her own sitcom at ABC and several new films in
post-production, Rebel is also being courted to star in the sequel to
2012's Pitch Perfect. Skylar Astin, Wilson's Pitch Perfect co-star, told movieweb.com,
"I do have a meeting with a Universal representative next week. And I
know that Rebel Wilson had hers last weekend. It's definitely a talking
point."

Rebel was named Next Big Thing in Details magazine's Hollywood Mavericks issue.

JENNIE GARTH DENIES DATING LUKE PERRY

Recently divorced Jennie Garth continues to deny that she and former Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star Luke Perry are dating. The pair have sparked rumors since they've started spending a lot time together after Garth's divorce from Peter Facinelli -- her husband of 11 years.
The actress told OMG! Yahoo,
"We're just really close friends. I love him so much, dating him might
be weird!" She admitted that there is an undeniable chemistry between
her and Luke which they are hoping to capitalize on in an upcoming
project. She went on to say, "We're going to start having our creative
meetings with writers and producers in the new year."CHECK IT OUT:

HUGH JACKMAN TALKS FATHERHOOD

Les Miserables star Hugh Jackman
believes that a father's relationship to his son is completely
different than being a dad to a daughter. The 44-year-old actor covers
Sunday's Parade magazine and dishes on his career and family.
Jackman
explains that with his son he tries to instill a certain toughness
because he knows first-hand what a man goes through in life but he also
told the magazine, "With a daughter, this protective side comes out.
When I come home, my daughter will run to the door and give me a big
hug, and everything that's happened that day just melts away." He added
that between he and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness, Hugh is the strict one while she tends to be more lenient.

Hugh
and Deb are parents to 12-year-old Oscar and 7-year-old Ava. The
children were adopted after Deborra-Lee miscarried a pregnancy they
achieved through in vitro fertilization.

TATE STEVENS WINS THE 'X-FACTOR'

Tate Stevens has been named the winner of the second season of The X-Factor. The 37-year-old country singer beat 13-year-old Carly Rose Sonenclar
for the $5 million recording contract. "First and foremost I got to
thank the man upstairs for taking care of me. My family, all the country
music fans, God bless you and thank you so very much for all the votes"
said Stevens. Simon Cowell's group Fifth Harmony landed in third place.
The
show began with the three finalists stepping out on the red carpet
performing "All You Need Is Love". The finale also featured the top
three singing Christmas songs, along with guest appearances by Pitbull who performed "Don't Stop The Party" and One Direction who performed "Kiss You."

MOVIES OPENING THIS WEEKEND

Opening today (Friday December 21st) is the new comedy from director/writer Judd Apatow, This is 40, starring Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Megan Fox, Albert Brooks and Chris O'Dowd.
The film follows Pete and Debbie who, after years of marriage and
raising two daughters, find themselves going through a three week course
of sex, romance, career victories and financial hardships as they
struggle to forgive, forget and enjoy the rest of their lives.

This is 40 is rated R and has a running time of 2 hours and 14 minutes.

Opening today (Friday December 21st) is the new action/thriller, Jack Reacher, starring Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Robert Duvall, Werner Herzog and Richard Jenkins.
The film follows Jack Reacher as he investigates a shooting that took
the lives of five people, a seemingly clear cut case, but the further
Jack delves into it, the more complicated it gets.

Jack Reacher is rated PG-13 and has a running time of 2 hours and 10 minutes.

Opening today (Friday December 21st) is the new fantasy, Cirque Du Soleil: Worlds Away, starring Erica Linz, Igor Zaripov and John Clarke.
The film follows Mia who instantly falls in love with an aerialist but
when their eyes meet, he slips and falls, dragging Mia with him into
another world. When they get separated in the new world, they must
travel through a place that exists between life and death to find each
other again.

Cirque Du Soleil: Worlds Away is rated PG and has a running time of 1 hour and 31 minutes.

Acts from Cirque du Soleil's shows O, Mystere and others illustrate the journey of Mia and the aerialist.

The following clips are from Cirque Du Soleil: Worlds Away:

Opening today (Friday December 21st) is the new drama, Not Fade Away, starring Jack Huston, James Gandolfini, Molly Price, John Margaro and Will Brill. The film, set in 1964, follows three best friends who decide to form a rock band.

Not Fade Away has a rating of NR (Not Rated) and has a running time of 1 hour and 57 minutes.

HEADLINE NEWS

HOUSE GOP CANCELS VOTE ON BOEHNER'S 'PLAN B' FOR 'FISCAL CLIFF':
House Republicans last night (December 20th) abruptly canceled a
planned vote on their legislation to avoid the "fiscal cliff," after
being unable to get enough "yes" votes from within their own majority
party in the chamber to get it passed. The lack of support among the GOP
lawmakers was an embarrassment for Speaker John Boehner, who'd pushed the legislation, dubbed "Plan B," after walking away from fiscal cliff negotiations with President Obama
that had seemed to be making progress. It also showed again the power
of the tea party-backed Republicans in opposing the measure, which would
have allowed the Bush tax cuts to expire for households that earn $1
million or more. After the vote was canceled, the House session ended,
and everyone left for the Christmas break, with the fiscal cliff problem
still unsolved as we head closer to the end-of-the-year deadline.SERVICES CONTINUE FOR NEWTOWN VICTIMS:
The funerals and memorial services continued Thursday (December 20th)
for the victims of the Newtown massacre, with services held for
six-year-olds Catherine Hubbard, Jesse Lewis, Benjamin Wheeler, Allison Wyatt and Emilie Parker, and teachers Anne Marie Murphy and Lauren Rousseau. Today, many Americans will be remembering those lost with a moment of silence. Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy
called for residents of his state to observe the moment at 9:30 a.m.
ET, to mark a week since the attack. Several other states are following
suit, and the National Cathedral in Washington plans to ring its bell 28
times as part of an interfaith memorial.

Also today, the
National Rifle Association will hold a news conference, which was
announced on Tuesday (December 18th), after the powerful gun rights
group had remained silent since the mass shooting. The statement said
the NRA was, quote, "prepared to offer meaningful contributions to help
make sure this never happens again."

MIDWEST HIT WITH FIRST MAJOR STORM OF THE SEASON:
The first major winter storm of the season hit the Midwest on Thursday
(December 20th), bringing a blizzard to the Plains states and tornadoes
to Alabama and Arkansas. There was a 25-car accident on an Iowa highway
due to the bad driving conditions in which three people were killed. The
winter storm, named Draco by the Weather Channel, marked a dramatic
change from the mild December so far in most of the nation.TODAY'S FYI:LATE SENATOR INOUYE LIES IN STATE AT CAPITOL: The late Democratic Senator Daniel Inouye
of Hawaii, who died on Monday (December 17th) at age 88, was given the
rare honor yesterday (December 20th) of lying in state in the Capitol
Rotunda. Nearly every member of the U.S. Senate and many House members
gathered in the Rotunda to honor Inouye, a highly-decorated World War
Two veteran and Medal of Honor winner who lost an arm in combat, and was
the second longest-serving senator ever, having been first elected in
1962. Congressional leaders and Vice President Joe Biden, who
served in the Senate with Inouye, placed three wreaths around the
casket. Inouye will lie in state at the National Cathedral in Washington
today, and at Hawaii's state capitol in Honolulu on Saturday.

The last person to lie in state in the Rotunda was former President Gerald Ford, in 2006.

BERNARD MADOFF'S BROTHER SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS: Peter Madoff, the brother of multi-billion-dollar Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff,
was sentenced on Thursday (December 20th) to 10 years behind bars for
his role in the massive swindle. The judge who sentenced the 67-year-old
Madoff yesterday said he was, quote, "frankly, not believable" when he
claimed he was as surprised as anyone to learn about his brother's Ponzi
scheme. Peter Madoff had been the firm's chief compliance officer for
nearly four decades, but prosecutors said his role in the conspiracy
began in 1996, when he created false and misleading compliance documents
and false reports for the Securities and Exchange Commission. Madoff
pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy and falsifying the books and
records of an investment adviser.

Bernard Madoff is serving a 150-year sentence.

NORTH DAKOTA POPULATION IS FASTEST-GROWING:
The state with the fastest-growing population is not one you might
expect, with the Census Bureau saying Thursday (December 20th) that
North Dakota's population grew faster than that of any other state in
the year ending in July, as the oil production boom that has transformed
its economy continued to draw people. The bureau said that North
Dakota's population grew nearly 2.2 percent between July 2011 and July
2012, nearly three times faster than the nation as a whole. However,
North Dakota's population of 699,628 is still smaller than that of every
other state except Vermont and Wyoming.

California is
still the most populous state, with 38 million people, followed by
Texas, with 26.1 million, New York, with 19.6 million, Florida with 19.3
million, and Illinois, with 12.9 million.

OBAMA HOLDING JUST TWO INAUGURAL BALLS, LEAST IN 60 YEARS: It was revealed Thursday (December 20th) that President Obama
plans to have just two inaugural balls when he's sworn in next month
for a second term, the lowest number in 60 years. Four years ago, when
Obama was first elected, there were 10 of them. Planners said the
reduction is a reflection of tough economic times and an effort to
minimize the burden on law enforcement, security personnel and
Washington residents. Both balls are being planned for the Washington
Convention Center on Monday, January 21st, the evening of Obama's public
inauguration. Under the Constitution, the president's second term
begins on January 20th at noon, but Obama will be sworn in then
privately at the White House, since inaugural celebrations traditionally
aren't held on Sundays. One of the parties will be the Commander In
Chief's Ball, a tradition started by President George W. Bush for
members of the Armed Forces. The other, simply being called the
Inaugural Ball, will be larger than usual and held across all the halls
in the convention center. SPORTS:NHL CANCELS GAMES THROUGH JANUARY 14TH:
The point of no return is continuing to draw closer for hockey, with
the NHL yesterday (December 20th) canceling all games through January
14th. More than 50 percent of the schedule has now been lost to the
lockout, but the NHL has yet to set a date at which they'll have to
cancel the entire season. No new talks are scheduled between the two
sides. The NHL lost its entire 2004-05 season because of another
lockout, the only North American professional sports league to cancel a
season because of a labor dispute. (Headline News, FYI and Sports stories were compiled in part from reports by the Associated Press and Reuters.)

THE SOUND OF MUSIC - A
nun in training leaves her convent and becomes governess to Captain Von
Trapp's seven children in Austria before World War II. Starring Julie
Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker and Peggy Wood.

BRAVO

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA - TBA

SHAHS OF SUNSET - Asa brings her celebrity boyfriend to lunch on the job; Reza and MJ are forced to confront their feelings.

OFF BEAT BRIEFS

DOGS CHASE WOULD-BE PRESENT THIEF OUT OF THE HOUSE: Pet dogs
in Gainesville, Florida saved the day by chasing a would-be burglar out
of the house before the the Christmas presents were stolen. The
homeowners were asleep upstairs when 36-year-old Timothy Devon Lawrence
broke into their home at around three in the morning -- allegedly, to
steal Christmas gifts. Police said the owner's dogs began to bark, and
when she opened the door the pooches rushed down the steps and chased
the burglar out of the house. The victim called police who employed
their own canines to track the suspect's scent to another residence
where Lawrence had allegedly also tried to break in. After police found
him hiding in the bushes, they charged him with burglary, grand theft
and possession of a concealed firearm. JOKE TEXT ABOUT BANK ROBBERY LEADS TO 911 CALL:
A Chicago-area teen who texted her mom a joke, about being stuck at a
bank with two escaped, armed robbers, scared the mother into calling
911. Police said the teen and her mom were having a text conversation
when the girl texted that she was going to the bank. The mother then
warned her that she should be careful of two convicted bank robbers who
had recently escaped from federal prison in downtown Chicago. The teen,
obviously tempted by the warning, texted back "They're here, they have
guns." Not realizing the joke, the mom called 911. Police responded to
the bank in full force, only to find that everything was OK. 12 GIFTS FOR THE END OF THE WORLD: http://bit.ly/WxyhaA (Pulse note: Our favorite gift on this list is a 2013 Mayan Calendar - http://www.mayan-calendar.com/)LIST OF DATES PREDICTED FOR APOCALYPTIC EVENTS: http://bit.ly/T1susOMASHABLE'S PICKS FOR 21 FUNNIEST PRE-DECEMBER-21ST TWEETS: http://on.mash.to/TaeNFGNASA'S FAQ RESPONSE TO THE DOOMSDAY QUESTION:
In the Frequently Asked Questions section on NASA's website -- under
the subject of "Earth" -- NASA answers a popular question, regarding
end-of-the-world predictions related to the Mayan Calendar. The question
reads: "Does the Mayan calendar end in December 2012? NASA posts the
following response: "Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall
does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not
cease to exist on December 21, 2012. This date is the end of the Mayan
long-count period but then -- just as your calendar begins again on
January 1 -- another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar."CHECK IT OUT

NASA "Beyond 2012: Why The World Won't End" -http://1.usa.gov/V0LG6C

'MAYANS' AND 'ENDOFTHEWORLDCONFESSIONS' TREND ON TWITTER AT MIDNIGHT:
In other news, just after midnight a few doomsday related topics
started trending on Twitter: "Mayans" and "EndOfTheWorldConfessions."
Most of the confessions were innocent, like one @callie1218 who tweeted,
"#endoftheworldconfessions I used to look at peoples feet when I played
heads up seven up... Still feel a bit guilty about it" while some
actually went for it, admitting to secret hookups. Several Twitters
users used the hashtag to warn their followers that real, non-comedic
confessions should probably be kept to a minimum since we'll all still
be here to deal with the embarrassment of any serious confessions.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

THE TOP WORRIES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE AFRAID THE WORLD MIGHT END TODAY:
A Harris Interactive Poll commissioned by California online
data-storage company Backblaze finds that one in five of those polled
were "somewhat concerned" about the apocalypse happening today, and
nearly 70-percent were worried about losing digital copies of family
photos in case the power was to go out permanently. The poll also found
that one in four men said they would regret not having more sex if the
world were to end, while only one in ten women said the same. (LA Weekly Blog)14 BEST CRAIGSLIST ADS OF THE APOCALYPSE: http://tinyurl.com/bsqbn9nWOMEN SPEND TWO WEEKS PER YEAR CLEANING:
New research commissioned by British company, Bloo Flowers toilet
fresheners, finds that "house-proud" women spend two-weeks-per-year
cleaning from age 18 on. The study of two-thousand women revealed that
70-percent consider themselves to be house-proud, and 86-percent
admitted they spend more time cleaning if they know guests are coming to
visit. Two-thirds of those surveyed said they spend over three extra
hours on household chores throughout December. More than half of the
women surveyed said they would most dread their mother-in-law seeing
their house in a less-than-perfect state. (Daily Mail)SOLO ARTISTS MORE LIKELY TO DIE PREMATURELY THAN THOSE IN BANDS:
According to research from the University of Liverpool, famous solo
artists are twice as likely to die prematurely as musicians in bands.
The research was publish in the online journal BMJ Open, and says
that solo artists in Europe have a one in ten chance of premature
death, while American solo artists have a one in five chance of the
same. The research states that in the U.S., solo musicians have about a
23-percent increased risk of dying prematurely, compared with just about
a 10-percent increased risk for musicians in bands. The research for
Europe found that solo artists have about a 10-percent increased risk in
early death, while those in bands have just about a five-percent
increased risk. Researchers theorize that bands provide a mutual support
mechanism that offers protective health effects. (Daily Mail)TEN LESSONS ABOUT MEETING THE FAMILY YOU CAN LEARN FROM MOVIES(Tres Sugar):
1) Do: Make a Second Impression. In the movie Fever Pitch
Ben makes a poor first impression with Lindsey's parents by freaking
out at dinner when he thinks he'll overhear the score to the Red Sox
game he DVRd at home. So he treats them to a golf game the next day
scoring major points and erasing the initial meeting fail.2) Don't: Go Overboard With the P-D-A: In Father of the Bride,
George was having a tough enough time learning his daughter was engaged
to the man he's meeting for the first time - the PDA just made it
doubly awkward. Keep the affection to a minimum around the family,
especially the first time you meet them! 3) Do: 'Fess Up to Accidents. Greg is doing his best to make a good impression on his future dad-to-be in Meet the Parents,
but his bad luck leads to disaster after disaster. But things just get
worse when he tries to cover up his accidents, like replacing the
family's cat with a stray who ends up destroying the house. Honesty is
the best policy!4) Don't: Get Too Close to Your Brother-in-Law.
Madeleine is just trying to help when she offers to tutor her husband's
married brother after meeting the family for the first time in Junebug. But he thinks she's flirting and goes in for a kiss. Try not to send mixed messages, they can lead to disaster5) Do: Be a Good Sport. When Andie meets Ben's family for the first time in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
she jumps right into their game of bullsh*t. It loosens everyone up
right off the bat and she feels like a part of family by the end of the
game.6) Don't: Be Too Uptight. Jack is a neurotic New Yorker meeting his French girlfriend Marion's eccentric family in 2 Days in Paris.
But between the language barrier and Marion's parents' laissez-faire
attitude, Jack is too uptight and uncomfortable to relax and enjoy the
trip. When you're facing a culturally different family, sometimes you
just have to go with the flow for the sake of your significant other.7) Do: Be Yourself. InThe Birdcage,
Val invites his fiancée Barbara's conservative senator father and his
uptight wife for dinner at his parents' home in Miami. The only problem
is that Val's parents are two gay men who own a South Beach drag club.
To avoid any controversy, one of Val's dads decides to dress in drag and
pretend to be Val's mother. The dinner is a disaster, albeit a
hilarious one, and once the wig comes off, the jig is up. But after Val
and Barbara explain their motives, the conservative parents understand
and forgive Val and his two dads, proving you should just be yourself.8) Don't: Forget to Set Ground Rules. In Failure to Launch,
35-year-old Tripp lives with his parents who are home when he and Paula
arrive there for a date. Even though Tripp is using the "accidental"
meeting to freak Paula out so she'll break up with him, if you really
lived with your parents you'd want to make sure they knew not to
interrupt your date (and spill the beans that you live with them)!9) Do: Be Understanding. When Jamie meets Dylan's dad who's suffering with Alzheimer's disease in Friends With Benefits, she's super accepting of Dylan and his family, just the way they are. Now that's a keeper!10) Don't: Forget Who You're Dating. In The Family Stone,
Meredith meets boyfriend Everett's family for the first time and things
don't go according to plan. By the end of the flick there are some
unexpected couplings, which works out in the movie, but probably
wouldn't in real life.

EIGHT STEPS FOR FINDING LOVE IN THE NEW YEAR(Your Tango):

1) Be ready for love.
Be emotionally in a space where you're open to love. If you're holding a
grudge from your former relationship - whatever it may be - trust,
anger or disappointment, you need to let go of that or at least resolve
it in your head so you don't bring those negative feelings into your new
relationship.2) Know what you want from your love life. Do
you want to date different men? Are you looking for something casual? Or
are you looking to get married? It helps to know what you want because
this way you won't be wasting your time dating people you know aren't
clearly right for you.3) Be willing to accept a little imperfection.
Some people - both men and women - set their standards so high that
they never find anyone who can meet them and then they wonder why they
are alone. (Just be careful that you don't settle too much - if you're
sacrificing too much of yourself for the sake of your relationship, then
that's not good either.)4) Get out there and meet people.
Prince charming is not going to come and knock on your door regardless
of how fabulous you are - he needs to know you are there. Attend events
and take classes where there are likely to be men attending - a sailing
class or a co-ed softball team are good places to start. Your local
newspaper usually lists events in your area that are currently going on -
take a peek and try to figure out where some men may be.5) Ask your girlfriends to see if they know of anyone who may be right for you. Friends are a great way to meet people because it's like an automatic screening procedure.6) Go online.
A recent statistic states that 1 in 5 relationships start online now.
Just be careful with this one and follow your instincts - we have them
for a reason. If something doesn't feel right about what the person is
telling you, then it probably isn't. Meet within three months to see if
you're compatible in person.7) Be a great date. A first date
won't lead to a second if you're not a great date. Be interesting, be
funny, look your best and leave your negativity and fussiness at home.
Men will find you more attractive if you have a generally pleasant
disposition - I know of very few men who like dating a diva.8) Don't give up.
Just because you haven't met anyone by March, doesn't mean you won't
mean anyone by June. The only way you won't meet anyone for sure is if
you stop trying.

COMPUTER ALGORITHM DETERMINES LIES FROM TRUTH ON TWITTER:
Chilean researchers have designed a new algorithm that aims to automate
the sorting of tweets into true and false categories. According to
researchers Carlos Castillo, Barbara Poblete and Marcelo Mendoza there
are certain characteristics that can show if news tweet is true or
false. Researchers say that true tweets are usually sent out by users
with a large number of followers, are longer, and are more likely to
contain U-R-Ls, while false tweets usually have concentrated question
and exclamation marks, and frequently use first and third person
pronouns. Researchers tested their algorithm on a cluster of tweets
generated in the 24-hours during and directly after the Chilean
earthquake, and the algorithm chose the true tweet over the false tweet
82-percent of the time. (Huffington Post)TIPS FOR KEEPING HOLIDAY MEALS HEALTHIER(Fox News):

1) Banish Butter and Bring on Broth.
Avoid drowning your healthy vegetables in saturated fat like butter. It
may taste good, but high-fat meals trigger heartburn, so quickly sauté
your vegetables in low-sodium, low-fat vegetable or chicken broth for
the same kind of flavor without the effects.2) Do Without the Deep-Fryer.
Why fry your turkey? It's like frying an Oreo. A deep-fried turkey
contains double the fat of a regular roasted turkey, so get back to
basics and do as our ancestors did. Roast the bird and use garlic,
thyme, rosemary, and other herbs to flavor the feast rather than a vat
of grease.3) Choose Cinnamon. Because cinnamon is a great way
to lower your blood sugar, try serving side dishes or desserts with a
teaspoon or two of cinnamon to bring down your count.4) Slim the Sugar.
An easy way to make your holiday desserts healthier is to decrease
sugar quantities by 25 to 50 percent. If a family favorite calls for 2
cups of sugar, decrease it to 1 cup of sugar and add fresh fruits like
berries to make up the difference. You'll be adding a healthier,
all-natural version of sugar, and the berries will also give you
antioxidants.??? TRIVIA ??? When was the first Christmas card created?
A: The first Christmas cards were illustrated by John Callcott Horsley in London on the 1st of May 1843Source: WikipediaWhat does the term "humbug" really mean?
A; The word "humbug" describes deceitful efforts to fool people by pretending to a fake loftiness or false sincerity.Source: IMDB

WATER COOLER TALK

Newtown Seventh-Grader Launches Effort to Dump Violent Video Games

It's not just adults who are determined to take action after the
horror of the Newtown massacre, as local New York City TV station WCBS
discovered after meeting a Newtown seventh-grader who's launching an
effort to dump violent video games, which have been drawing critical
attention since the mass killing. Max Goldstein has gathered up his own
"first-person shooter" video games and will be getting rid of them,
telling the station, "All of it is kill, just kill as many people as you
can without dying." He also spoke about the victims' families, saying,
"I really think it's rude and disrespectful to the families, who lost
children, to play all these games." With his parents help, Goldstein and
his brother created a group called "Played Out" that uses the slogan,
"We choose not to play." It urges other kids to get rid of their violent
video games too, and bins will be set up in Newtown starting today for
their disposal. Goldstein said his goal is to reduce violent video games
by one-third in American homes.

Is the Internet Killing the Christmas Card Tradition?

Does it seem like you've been getting fewer Christmas cards in recent years than you used to? Nina Burleigh wrote recently in Time
magazine that sending Christmas cards is yet another tradition that's
being killed off by the Internet, saying sadly, "There's little point to
writing a Christmas update now, with boasts about grades and athletic
prowess, hospitalizations and holidays, and the dog's mishaps, when we
have already posted these events and so much more of our minutiae all
year long." But Alexis Madrigal writes in The Atlantic that we
may be writing the obituary of the Christmas card tradition prematurely.
The research firm IBISWorld forecasts that sales of cards and postage
will be the highest it's been in five years this holiday season, and
industry giant Hallmark has seen revenue hold steady since the early
2000s. Madrigal argues in fact that the desire to share our lives has
conquered, moving beyond just a Christmas card to something we now do
all the time. The Week magazine sums up the argument: "The spirit of the Christmas card is indeed alive and well. It's just not necessarily in a Christmas card."

One
of the festive traditions of the Christmas season is houses decorated
with holiday lights. But some neighbors think one Orange County,
California, woman has gone too far with the $50,000 light and music
display at her home, local TV station KCAL reports. Hundreds of
spectators have been showing up at Jan Stewart's Fountain Valley home to
look at the display, which features 65,600 LED lights and plays carols
and other music. In the face of complaints from neighbors who say the
display is too loud, too bright and brings too much traffic to the
neighborhood, Stewart defends it, saying it's a tribute to her late
husband, whose face can be seen in lights as part of the display. Some
have complained about Stewart's home to the City Council, but she's only
gotten a noise violation ticket.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

KFLAG COUNTRY MUSIC UPDATE

Lee Brice wants to record a Christmas album that is a mix of covers and new material. He tells The Boot,
"For me, I would want to make a Christmas record that was as fresh or
as good as if it was a regular album, and not necessarily a Christmas
album."
He continued, "There would be a few classics on there
that I would cut my own way, maybe in a way that hadn't been cut before,
or recorded. And I definitely would want to write some stuff that
nobody has heard before; so it would probably be about half [new] and
half [traditional]."

Though he hasn't figured out the
specifics Lee said he would want the album to be "outside the box,"
adding, "You have to go down other avenues to make something fresh. It's
difficult."

Lee said the Christmas album is on his to-do list for 2013.

He also plans to release a new studio album next year.

Alan Jackson
says Christmas with his family is pretty traditional. He explained, "We
don't let anybody open any presents until Christmas morning, after
Santa Claus comes. We don't let them get up on their own and take off.
Everybody has to wait and kind of get situated and maybe have a cup of
coffee."
He continued, "Then we start all of the regular
Christmas morning activities, opening presents, taking pictures and
video. I try to keep Christmas music going in the background. I like to
turn that on before I let them come down to the tree and everything." SIDE NOTE

Alan Jackson has three daughters with his wife, Denise Jackson.

CHECK IT OUT

Looking to start some new traditions with your own family? Here are some ideas! http://bit.ly/fA3WSg

Little Big Town's Kimberly Schlapman told us about her favorite family Christmas tradition.
She said, "My
favorite holiday tradition is, it's happened every year that I can
remember that I've been alive. We would go over to my grandmother's
house and have Christmas over there, and everybody would come home to
Mama and Daddy's house. We'd sit down and Mama hands out everybody a
gift, and we act like we don't what it is, but we do, 'cause it's always
Christmas pajamas. So, everybody opens their Christmas pajamas and goes
and puts 'em on, and we come back to the living room and we sit around
Daddy and he reads The Christmas Story. And we tuck ourselves in until
Santa comes.

Gary Allen has revealed the art work, track listing and release date for his new record, Set You Free.
The album is set to drop on January 22. Allan reportedly produced some
of the tracks himself as well as some new co-writers. The album is a bit
of a lyrical departure for the singer.

Gary said, ["You can expect a lot of honesty and a lot of songs about life. It's
gonna roll you through a break-up and roll you through the anger and the
healing and wind you up good as new. I think what you can expect is
something a little bit different musically out of this, but it's still
got the common thread."

Gary co-wrote five of the 12 songs on the record, including his current Top 10 single, "Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)."

It's his first project in nearly 3 years

He has shows scheduled in Reno, Nevada on December 30th and Las Vegas on New Year's Eve.

Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean
-- who are both owners of Buck Commander, a hunting lifestyle website
-- have had the company's logo tattooed on their biceps. Photos of their
new ink appeared on the company website, but Jason has been quick to
point out that they didn't exactly get "matching" tattoos as several
sites have reported.
Jason clarified on Twitter, "To set the
record straight, me and @LukeBryanOnline did NOT get matching tattoos!!
We were the only 2 @buck_commander owners to not have one."CHECK IT OUT

See their tattoo pics here (Photos taken from the Buck Commander website. Pulse does not own these photos!):

KEITH URBAN RELEASES ANNUAL CALENDAR TO BENEFIT ST JUDE'S: Keith Urban's
annual fundraising calendar which benefits St. Jude's Research Hospital
is now available! The 2013 calendar, featuring fan-submitted photos of
the singer, costs $15. Keith started the calendar back in 2002 and has
been able to raise more than $750,000 for St. Jude's through the
project.JUSTIN MOORE BEGINS RECORDING NEW ALBUM: Justin Moore
is excited to be in the studio recording his third studio album. He
tweeted on Wednesday (December 19th), "Day 1 recording album #3! Can't
wait to get new music out for y'all." SARAH BUXTON IS A MOM!
Sarah and her husband Tom Bukovac welcomed their first child earlier
this month, on December 4th. The singer tweeted this week, "Tom and I
are in love with our sweet baby boy, Marshall! He came December 4th. My
little Sagittarius."SUGARLAND'S KRISTIAN BUSH HAS HOLIDAY SUGGESTIONS: Having a tough time finding gifts for your loved ones? Kristian Bush
can help with his "Awesome Huge Lists of 2012 Holiday Gifts." The
Sugarland singer posted a giant list of gifts that includes everything
from toys and gadgets to audio gear and perfume that smells like snow.
Kristian's full list is on Sugarland's official website.CHECK OUT SCOTTY MCCREERY'S MUSIC VIDEO FOR 'CHRISTMAS COMIN ROUND AGAIN':

COUNTRY TRIVIA

Q. What star's first band was named Unclethumbtack?A. Rascal Flatts' Joe Don Rooney

INDUSTRY NEWS

'HOMELAND' IS LOOKING FOR NEW WRITERS: Showrunner Alex Gansa is looking for new writers for his hit show Homeland since three current writers have new projects in the works. Gansa says he will begin brainstorming season three in January.ZAC POSEN REPLACING MICHAEL KORS ON 'PROJECT RUNWAY':Zac Posen has been picked to replace Michael Kors as a judge on season 11 of Project Runway. Posen previously appeared on the show as a guest judge in the third and fourth season.BRYAN SINGER TO REBOOT 'THE TWILIGHT ZONE': Director Bryan Singer is developing a remake of The Twilight Zone for CBS. A remake of the show was previously attempted back in 1985 and then again in 2002.JACKIE CHAN SIGNS ON FOR 'EXPENDABLES 3':Jackie Chan has accepted a role in the third Expendables film. He is also reportedly eyeing a new project with Rush Hour costar Chris Tucker.MTV RENEWS 'CATFISH' FOR SEASON TWO: MTV has announced plans to bring back their reality show Catfish for a second season. The show is based on the 2010 film.

CELEBRITY GOSSIP

JAMES MARSDEN WELCOMES SON:James Marsden has become a father for the third time. His son William Luca was born on December 14th.SAM DONALDSON ARRESTED FOR DUI: ABC newsman Sam Donaldson
was arrested in Delaware earlier this month after failing a sobriety
test when he was pulled over for driving on the shoulder of the road.
The 78-year-old was reportedly very cooperative during the incident.SIMON COWELL AND CARMEN ELECTRA ARE DATING:Simon Cowell revealed to Ryan Seacrest on Wednesday (December 19th) that he is dating Carmen Electra. The pair got close while working on Britain's Got Talent where she appeared as a guest judge.JUDD APATOW ADDRESSES CHILD MURDER JOKE IN 'THIS IS 40':Judd Apatow has said that a scene in his new film This Is 40
containing jokes about child murder was written nearly two years ago.
The scene will reportedly not be taken out of the film despite last
week's tragedy in Connecticut.CLAIRE DANES AND HUGH DANCY WELCOME FIRST CHILD:Homeland actress Claire Danes has given birth to her first child. She and husband Hugh Dancy have named their son Cyrus Michael Christopher Dancy.

JAMES FRANCO RELEASING BOOK OF POETRY

Spiderman actor James Franco
is working on a book of poetry that will be released in April, 2014 by
Graywolf Press. He has been writing lyrical verses which have been
brought together in a collection called "Directing Herbert White."
Franco described his work to the NY Times
as "a way to blend film and poetry and performance and persona -- all
the things that I think are related to that poem and that process I went
through of adapting that poem."

The poetry editor of
Graywolf Press called the actor's work "a frank and illuminating set of
scenes from inside filmmaking and fame."

James holds two
masters of fine arts degrees. One in creative writing from Brooklyn
College and one in poetry from Warren Wilson College in North Carolina.
He has previously published a collection of short stories called "Palo
Alto."

Franco portrayed poets Allen Ginsberg in the film Howl and Hart Crane in The Broken Tower.

OPRAH TALKS 'OWN' SUCCESS

Oprah Winfrey has opened up the ratings turnaround of her OWN Network. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter,
Oprah said that she isn't out of the woods just yet. She explained,
"I'm not doing the hula yet ...but compared to a year ago, it feels like
a sigh of relief."
She continued, "Part of my own expectation
was, 'You've had 25 years of success; people will leverage that.' But we
didn't account for people not having the channel, and not knowing how
to find it, and the cable audience being different from broadcast."

'TWILIGHT' ACTOR SAYS HE WAS SET UP

Twilight actor Bronson Pelletier told TMZ
that he was set up when he was kicked off of an airplane for being too
intoxicated. He also denied that he urinated in the terminal.
A
cameraman for the website asked Pelletier to explain the events that led
up to his arrest to which he responded saying, "The same guy that
bought me drinks was the guy that got me taken off the plane!" He also
claims that nothing else happened after being kicked off the flight
despite reports that he was arrested for public urination.

According to TMZ,
Bronson was also arrested on December 8th at a West Hollywood gay bar
for public intoxication. Police reportedly found cocaine and meth in his
possession but the actor denies this event took place

Bronson played Jared, a member of the werewolf tribe, in four of the Twilight films.

25 FILMS ADDED TO NATIONAL FILM REGISTRY

The
Library of Congress has selected the 25 films that will be added to the
National Film Registry this year. Each film has been selected for its
cultural, artistic, and historic achievement in filmmaking.This year's picks include Breakfast At Tiffany's, Dirty Harry, A Christmas Story, and A League Of Their Own. Librarian of Congress James H. Billington
explained their choices saying, "These films are not selected as the
'best' American films of all time, but rather as works of enduring
importance to American culture. They reflect who we are as a people and
as a nation."

HEADLINE NEWS

FUNERALS CONTINUE AFTER NEWTOWN MASSACRE: The process of
burying the dead from from last week's Newtown massacre continued on
Wednesday (December 19th), with at least nine funerals and wakes held.
Among them were funerals for six-year-old Caroline Previdi, seven-year-old Daniel Barden and six-year-old Charlotte Helen Bacon. Also laid to rest were teacher Victoria Soto, who's been hailed as hero for trying to shield her students, and Sandy Hook Elementary School Principal Dawn Hochsprung, who was killed as she lunged at the gunman to try to stop him. Meanwhile, the New York Daily News reported that in the days before the massacre, Nancy Lanza, the mother of shooter Adam Lanza,
who was the first person he killed, was pushing her son to get out of
the house, citing a family friend, who said, "He sat in his room playing
video games for hours and hours. She thought the best thing was for him
to get out of the house and into the world. To interact with people a
little bit." But, the friend said, the 20-year-old refused and stopped
speaking to his mother, and the two hadn't spoken for three days when he
shot and killed her. The friend said Nancy Lanza had brought her son to
a psychiatrist as he became increasingly anti-social, stating, "She
told me she couldn't reach him -- and she was worried." The friend also
rejected a FoxNews.com report that Nancy was planning to have her son
committed to a psychiatric facility, stating, "Nancy was so dedicated to
Adam. She would never send him away. She just couldn't do that."
In other news:

In
a development that's sadly common after tragedies and disasters,
scammers are trying to make money from the massacre, setting up bogus
charities and making fake solicitations for donations for the families
of the dead.

Another not unexpected development has been a
spate of copycat threats against schools around the nation, including
from teens in Indiana, California and Tennessee. It's common for threats
against schools to spike after a highly-publicized shooting, and
research has suggested there may be a link between how much media
attention an incident gets and how many copycat threats follow.

OBAMA TO SEND CONGRESS GUN PROPOSALS IN JANUARY: President Obama
said Wednesday (December 19th) that he will send broad proposals to
Congress in January for tightening gun laws and curbing violence in the
wake of the Newtown massacre. But even ahead of that happening, Obama
urged lawmakers to reinstate a ban on military-style assault weapons,
close loopholes that allow gun buyers to get around background checks,
and restrict high-capacity ammunition clips. Obama put longtime gun
control advocate Vice President Joe Biden in charge of overseeing
the process of creating those proposals, with officials also set to
look beyond the gun issue at ways to increase mental health resources
and keep society from glamorizing guns and violence.OBAMA, BOEHNER SWAP BARBS AS FISCAL CLIFF AT APPARENT STANDOFF:
After promising moves towards reaching a deal in recent days, with both
sides making compromises, the fiscal cliffs are at an apparent standoff
again, with President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner
swapping barbs on Wednesday (December 19th). Speaking at the White
House, Obama said Republicans should, quote, "peel off the war paint"
and take the deal he's offering, and he threatened to veto a "Plan B"
bill drafted by House Republicans that would allow the Bush tax
cuts to expire only for those making more than $1 million a year.
Boehner shot back that if that happens, Obama will be responsible for,
quote, "the largest tax increase in history." At the same time, both
left the door open for further negotiations. STATE DEPT. SECURITY HEAD, THREE OTHERS, RESIGN AFTER BENGHAZI REPORT:
Four State Department officials resigned under pressure Wednesday
(December 19th), including the head of diplomatic security, one day
after a report from an independent review panel blamed management
failures for a lack of security at the U.S. diplomatic mission in
Benghazi, Libya, where militants killed the U.S. ambassador and three
other Americans in September. In addition to Eric Boswell, the
assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security, also stepping down
were two others in the bureau of diplomatic security and one in the
bureau of Near East Affairs. The report had called the security
precautions in Benghazi, quote, "grossly inadequate."GOV'T. TO SELL REMAINING STAKE IN GENERAL MOTORS:
The Treasury Department said Wednesday (December 19th) that it will
sell its remaining stake in General Motors by early 2014, closing out
the $50 billion bailout that saved the automaking icon. However, even
though GM has bounced back and made $16 billion in profits over the past
three years, AP reports that taxpayers will still lose billions of
dollars in the deal. Under the deal, GM will spend $5.5 billion to buy
back 200 million shares from the Treasury, with the sale closing before
the end of this year. That will leave the government with 300 million
shares, or a 19 percent stake, which it plans to sell during the next 12
to 15 months. The Treasury Department has held the stock for more than
two years while awaiting a better price. ARMY TO SEEK DEATH PENALTY FOR SOLIDER ACCUSED OF KILLING 16 AFGHAN VILLAGERS:
The U.S. Army said Wednesday (December 19th) that it will seek the
death penalty against the 39-year-old soldier accused of killing 16
Afghan villagers in a March rampage, nine of whom were children.
Prosecutors say Staff Sergeant Robert Bales left his remote Afghanistan
base early on March 11th and attacked one village, then returned to the
base, slipped away again, and attacked a second village. Bales' civilian
lawyer, John Henry Browne, denounced the decision against his client,
who was on his fourth deployment after three previous ones in Iraq.
Browne told AP, "The Army is not taking responsibility for Sgt. Bales
and other soldiers that the Army knowingly sends into combat situations
with diagnosed PTSD, concussive head injuries and other injuries. The
Army is trying to take the focus off the failure of its decisions, and
the failure of the war itself, and making Sgt. Bales out to be a rogue
soldier."

The U.S. military has not executed anyone since 1961.

TODAY'S FYI:STUDY: TEEN SMOKING FALLS TO RECORD LOW:
An annual survey out yesterday (December 19th) from the National
Institute on Drug Abuse found that cigarette smoking among teens in the
U.S. fell to a record low in 2012, with 10.6 percent of eighth-, 10th-,
and 12-graders surveyed saying they'd smoked in the prior 30 days, down
by just over a percentage point from a year earlier. The study's
principal investigator said that the one percentage point drop amounts
to about a nine percent reduction in a single year in the number of
teens currently smoking. It's believed a sharp hike in federal cigarette
taxes played a role, and health advocates also pointed to federal curbs
on youth-targeted tobacco marketing and sales, and a sweeping
anti-smoking media campaign. Researchers did cite concerns, however,
over new forms of smokeless tobacco, including dissolvable products like
Camel's "Orbs" and "Strips," and a form of snuff called snus, which is
placed under the upper lip.ROBERT BORK, REJECTED BY SENATE FOR SUPREME COURT, DEAD AT 85:Robert Bork,
the conservative American judge who was rejected by the Senate for the
U.S. Supreme Court by an historic margin, died Wednesday (December 19th)
at a Virginia hospital where he'd been treated for an infection. He was
85. After being nominated for the Supreme Court in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan,
Bork was rejected by the Democratic-led Senate due to his conservative
judicial philosophy, particularly because of the concern that he'd vote
to overturn abortion rights. The 58-42 vote against him was the largest
margin of defeat for any nominee to the nation's highest court ever.
Bork, who was bitter for many years afterward, became a conservative
hero, and his name was turned into a verb, added to the Oxford English
Dictionary in 2002 with the definition for "to bork" being: "To defame
or vilify systematically, especially in the mass media, usually with the
aim of preventing his or her appointment to public office." In 2011,
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney appointed Bork
co-chair of his Judicial Advisory Committee, to advise the campaign on
judicial nominations and legal policy questions.MISS USA OLIVIA CULPO CROWNED MISS UNIVERSE: Miss USA Olivia Culpo,
a 20-year-old Boston University student from Rhode Island, was crowned
Miss Universe last night (December 19th) in Las Vegas, becoming the
first U.S. winner of the title since 1997. Culpo, who's also an
accomplished cello player, beat out 88 other contestants from six
continents, with Miss Philippines Janine Tugonon coming in second, and
Miss Venezuela Irene Sofia Esser Quintero third. After the competition,
Culpo told reporters she hoped to bring the country some good news in
the wake of the deadly school shooting in Connecticut, saying, "It's
such an honor to be representing the USA in an international beauty
contest in spite of all the tragedy that's happened in this country
lately. I really hope that this this will raise everybody's spirits a
little." CHECK IT OUT:

LAUNCH SENDING THREE ASTRONAUTS TO SPACE STATION:
A Soyuz spacecraft was launched Wednesday (December 19th) in
Kazakhstan, with one American, one Russian and one Canadian on board,
headed for the International Space Station. The three astronauts will
join three others already on board, and spend four months at the
orbiting outpost conducting more than 50 scientific experiments.

SPORTS:

REPORT: JETS LOOKING TO DROP BOTH SANCHEZ AND TEBOW: The New York Jets are not only likely to get rid of backup quarterback Tim Tebow in the offseason, but are considering parting ways with starter Mark Sanchez
too, Yahoo! Sports' Jason Cole reported last night (December 19th),
citing two sources he described as "familiar with the circumstances."
Tebow's lack of a future with the Jets, who acquired him in the last
offseason from the Denver Broncos, has been made seemingly clear by head
coach Rex Ryan's decision to start third-stringer Greg McElroy
instead of him this coming Sunday against the San Diego Chargers after
benching the struggling Sanchez. As for Sanchez, who's coming to the end
of his fourth season, Cole cited a league source critical of his lack
of development, saying, "I thought he would have been better by now."

(Headline News, FYI and Sports stories were compiled in part from reports by the Associated Press and Reuters.)

OFF BEAT BRIEFS

BEAUTY QUEEN GETS DUI; CAUSES MASSIVE POWER OUTAGE: The
reigning Miss Las Cruces of New Mexico was arrested on Sunday (December
16th) and charged with aggravated DWI after she crashed into a light
pole which then fell onto a traffic light and ended up knocking out
power to hundreds of local homes and businesses. Police arrested
22-year-old Sarah J. Richardson who, incidentally, snapped a mug shot
worthy of a beauty queen. Miss Las Cruces officials are in the process
of figuring out how to handle the situation. (AP) CHECK IT OUT

LOTTO WINNERS TO USE WINNINGS TO BUILD HIGH SCHOOL STADIUM:
A couple in Bondurant, Iowa who recently won a $202 million Powerball
jackpot have pledged three million dollars of their winnings to build a
new stadium for Bondurant-Farrar High School. The only thing Brian and
Mary Lohse want in return is for the visiting team's locker room to be
painted pink. Mary explained, "I was sort of half joking and half not I
suppose, but they said they'd do it. It's supposed to put them in a
certain soft frame of mind... it will certainly give all the players
something to talk about." (UPI)GRINCH ALERT! HOLIDAY CARE PACKAGES MEANT FOR TROOPS STOLEN:
An outreach coordinator for Move America Forward in Sacramento said
that 25 care packages intended for troops abroad were stolen. According
to the coordinator, Scott Raab, 350 care packages which were meant to be
holiday gifts for the troops were stored in a trailer on Sunday
(December 16th) but someone broke into it and stole 25 of the packages.
Raab said the packages include all kinds of things from deodorant and
candy to letters from school kids, thanking them for their service. The
organization is accepting donations to make up for the stolen gifts.
(ABC)A GUIDE TO 2012'S WORST WORDS: The list, compiled
by The Atlantic Wire, includes such buzz terms as "butt-chugging",
"brogrammer" and "Yolo" in addition to several over-used words like
"artisanal" and "hipster." Head to the site for the full list, along
with explanations: http://bit.ly/UIdDP7

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

INSTAGRAM: WE WON'T USE YOUR PHOTOS IN ADVERTISEMENTS: Instagram,
a popular mobile photo-sharing service, announced late Tuesday
(December 18th) that the company does not plan to use users' photos in
advertisements. Instagram caused a stir when it released its new terms
of service early Tuesday morning (December 18th) that said the company
had the right to use users' photos in advertisements without consent or
compensation. Instagram now says it will remove the language from its
terms of service that suggests using users' photos in advertisements.
However, Instagram maintains that it was created to become a business
and would like to experiment with various forms of advertisements to
make money. Currently, the free service does not run any ads. Facebook
bought Instagram in September. (Fox News)HOW TO THROW AN END OF THE WORLD PARTY BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS TOMORROW(The Stir):Decorations:
Okay, I looked around to see how people are visualizing this theme and
found PartyCheap.com's suggestions -- kind of a Mayan/tropical thing
going on. So pull out any tropical-themed stuff you can find at home or
at the party supply store. Is it all from Hawaii? Oh well, Hawaii,
Central America, whatever, close enough. Or just go for typical party
decorations, like sparkly party hats.See PartyCheap's suggestions here: http://tinyurl.com/7y9xteuFood:
I think at an End of the World party, you should eat like it's really
your last day on Earth. What would you want your last meal to be?
Buffalo wings and chocolate cupcakes? Ice cream scoops full of caviar?
Kale salad with a side of wheat grass juice? Hey, I'm not here to judge.
I'm just saying, think decadent.Games: Limbo, obviously,
because that's where many of us are probably headed. Also, Would You
Rather -- as in, would you rather spend eternity in a pit of fire or
doing long division? Would you rather go to hell with all your fun
friends or to heaven with the dullest people you know?Music.
Basically it comes down to finding a playlist created by someone with
similar tastes in music. Yay, someone already planned this part for you.
Now dance away, dance away, dance away all!Check out one suggested playlist here: http://tinyurl.com/bfdsu7rSIX DATING BOOBY TRAPS YOU MAY ENCOUTER OVER THE HOLIDAYS(The Frisky):
1) That old saying about how a man treats his mother is true.
A grown man who rolls his eyes and talks back to his mom, awful as she
may be, has some respect issues. You'd better believe that someday he's
not going to show respect to you either, unless he's thoroughly dealt
with his issues regarding his mother. Conversely, men who put their
mother up on a pedestal - "She can do no wrong!" - are to be feared
also. Simply put, if something smells weird about his family dynamic, is
probably is weird.2) Sleeping in separate bedrooms sucks, but we all have to do it sometimes.
When I was younger, I would be flattered if a guy who had me stay at
his relatives' house or who came to stay at my parents' house insisted
on sharing a bed. There was always some sneaking around the hallways
after my parents went to sleep! However, as I've gotten older, I've
realized that not being willing to follow the house rules is a little
immature. It's just a night or two. He can deal with it. If he's
expected to sleep in a separate bedroom, as obnoxious as I agree with
you that that can be, he should sleep in a separate bedroom.3) He should get off his ass, pitch in and help clean up.
Where is he when it comes time to set the table or clear the plates?
Does he lift a finger or is he already on the couch watching "National
Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" with your uncles?4) He can kick it with your nephew and your grandma.
My personal theory about life is that anyone worth spending time with
should be able to carry their own conversation with both a
kindergartener and a grandma. They should also not accidentally drop the
F-bomb in front of either of them.5) He can deal with different religious traditions.
Since religion is really important to some people (if not either of you
in the relationship), how he behaves regarding your family's religious
traditions is a peek into his character. Is your dude willing to attend
Midnight Mass with your family even though he's an atheist? Anyone can
handle one hour of church, just once. Does he explain to you what
prayers are being said over his Jewish dinner table or does he let you
sit there, squirming and confused? There's no need to make things more
awkward on the holidays than they already are.6) He brings a hostess gift (at the very least).
The quickest way to make my mother hate you if she's had you over for
the holidays (which she probably has, our family constantly invites
guests to celebrate with us) is to not bring a hostess gift and not
write a thank you note afterwards. A hostess gift can just be something
small, like a candle or some pretty napkins. One of my platonic dude
friend guests bought my parents a wine opener as a hostess gift and to
this day, they rave about how he is the best person in the world, ever.
And a thank you note should go without saying, but you would be shocked
at how many people these days can't manage to write one. If your guy
manages to buy a present for your folks, that's really nice, too. And of
course, he should be gracious about any gift he receives, even if you
both agree it is total crap your mom got on sale at TJ Maxx.CUTE MISTLETOE PRANK: http://tinyurl.com/cv243sjPOTENTIALLY HABITABLE PLANET IS PRETTY CLOSE TO EARTH:
A sun-like star nearby our solar system may host a planet that could
potentially sustain life, astronomers say. The star is called Tau Ceti--
astronomers say it hosts five planets, and is less than 12-light-years
from Earth. Astronomers say one of those planets has a minimum mass of
4.3-times that of Earth, and would be the smallest planet found in the
habitable area of a sun-like star if it is confirmed. Researchers say
the five planets will not be considered official discoveries until they
are confirmed by further analysis or observation. The star Tau Ceti has
been featured prominently in science fiction over the years due to it's
proximity to Earth and sun-like nature. (Fox News)COFFEE MAY LOWER RISK FOR ORAL CANCER FATALITIES: A new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology
links drinking more than four-cups of coffee per day with about a
50-percent drop in risk of dying from oral and pharyngeal cancers. The
study was based on about 970-thousand people who were part of the Cancer
Prevention Study II, who were followed for 26-years. Researchers say
the link was found between drinking caffeinated coffee and the decreased
in risk of death from oral and throat cancers. Researchers noted that a
slight association was also found with decaffeinated coffee, but that
it was not as strong as with caffeinated coffee. Researchers say that
this is only an association, and more work is needed to figure out
exactly what is at the root of this finding. (Huffington Post)TIPS FOR AVOIDING GERMS WHILE DINING OUT (Women's Health):
1) Follow your nose.
A restaurant should smell good. "It shouldn't smell dirty or
contaminated," says says Donna Duberg, assistant professor of Clinical
Laboratory Science at Saint Louis University. "The bathrooms should
smell fresh and clean and not have a heavy odor of air fresheners that
are covering up dirty odors," Duberg says. So if you smell anything
other than the delicious food that's cooking, it might be time to try a
new spot.2) Take a look around. Any clean establishment will
look clean and will have good cleaning habits. "There shouldn't be
sticky tables," says Duberg. "That's where bacteria is going to breed,
and where bacteria breed, viruses are right behind them." And take note
of the color of the cloths employees use to wipe down the tables. They
should be white and clean, and buckets of water should be clear, says
Duberg. Also, be aware of whether or not your server or maître d' is
sniffling or has a runny nose, she suggests.3) Inspect the utensils.
Your silverware and tableware shouldn't have remnants of a past meal.
Silverware should also come wrapped in clean napkins. Plus, serving
utensils shouldn't be transferred from one dish - and one person - to
another, says Duberg.4) Know when to stay in. "If your immune
system is low - if you're stressed, or had a cold, for example - you
can handle less bacteria and viruses effectively," according to Duberg.
In this case, you might not want to expose your weakened system to germs
that might make you get sick all over again. Plus, you don't want to be
the person responsible for contaminating anyone else, do you?TWENTY OF THE WEIRDEST PINTEREST PINS OF 2012: http://tinyurl.com/cxl49vmFIVE TIPS FOR SAVING MONEY WHEN ONLINE SHOPPING (The Stir):
1) Try to order the majority from one place.
Two words: Free. Shipping. The one thing that makes me consider braving
the crowds is the fact that I won't have to pay for shipping. But most
places will ship everything free if you're over a certain price (usual
$50). Some even just have a free shipping period this time of year.2) Google for coupon codes.
I know, I know, most of the time the codes don't work. But sometimes
they do. And it's worth a shot. Some sites I've had coupon code luck
with are: Diapers.com; Yoyo.com; and Drugstore.com. (These sites, along
with their sister sites, always have a crazy variety of products. You
could probably get all your Christmas shopping done via them.)3) Run more than one browser.
Sign into your account with one, and be "unrecognized" with the other.
Supposedly, sites know if you're a returning customer -- and they'll up
the price a bit if you are. If you're visiting as a guest, you might be
able to catch the difference in prices -- and snag the cheaper one.4) Clear cookies from your browser.
Same idea here, but you don't have to be running two browsers. If you
can -- which you definitely might not be able to -- try clearing the
cookies via the "help" or "preferences" tab on your computer. Cookies
enable you to save your info on sites you frequent, letting companies
know you're a returning customer. If they think you're "new", they'll be
apt to lower prices for you.5) Put an item in your basket -- then leave the site, abandoning your cart.
Sometimes you might get a follow up email from the company, offering
the product at a lower price. They're trying to win you back because
they thought you left -- better they get some money out of you than
none, right???? TRIVIA ???How many cubs do polar bears usually have at one time?
A: Females give birth in winter, usually to twins.Source: National GeographicWhat color skin do polar bears have?A:
Black. Their white coat provides camouflage in surrounding snow and
ice, but under their fur they have black skin - the better to soak in
the sun's warming rays. Source: National Geographic